Ornamental fences are widely used for security and aesthetic purposes. However, professional fence installers are often required to install an ornamental fence, and their relatively high hourly rates significantly contribute to the final cost of the fence. Accordingly, it is desired to minimize the time required to install a fence, or to enable a homeowner to install a fence himself or herself, thereby eliminating payments to the fence installer.
In particular, improvements in the forming of structural connections when installing fences are needed to increase the ease of installation. For example, existing methods for attaching a fence rail to a fence post often require the field drilling of holes and passing fasteners through the holes, or aligning pre-drilled or pre-welded joints. These operations usually require extensive use of tools and can be time consuming. Furthermore, the use of pre-drilled or pre-welded components reduces the flexibility to account for any variations or out-of-range tolerances in the fence components. Accordingly, there is a need for an attachment bracket for attaching a fence rail to a fence post in a fast, efficient and adjustable manner.
When installing a fence on a hill or uneven terrain, the fence must be angled to match the inclination angle. An inclined fence is typically either rigidly prefabricated to match the incline, or is constructed with a series of hinged connections that allow the fence to pivot within a predefined range to match the ground angle. The former method requires precise measurements and minimizes any flexibility in the fence to allow for fine adjustments. The latter method typically incorporates a series of simple pin connections to give the fence its flexing ability. However, the pin connections often do not easily rotate, and may bind during attempted rotation. Furthermore, the pins extend outwardly from the fence, and provide a surface upon which clothing or other items may catch. Finally, the exposed pin heads are unsightly and subject to rust. Accordingly, there is a need for a connector for coupling various fence components which allows easy, unimpeded rotation of the fence components, and which remains generally hidden from view.
In order to securely anchor a fence post into the ground, a hole is typically dug in the ground, the fence post is set in the hole, the post is leveled and adjusted, and the hole is filled with concrete to encase the post. However, such an operation usually requires two separate contractors: one contractor to dig the hole and pour the concrete (the concrete contractor), and another contractor to precisely locate, adjust and fix the fence post locations (the fence installer). This division of labor is necessitated by union rules, as well as varying skills of the laborers. Such an arrangement requires both contractors to work together at the same time, and causes difficulties in scheduling, contractor availability, on-site space constraints, and requires one contractor's progress to depend upon the other's progress. Alternately, the concrete contractor may set the fence posts in the poured concrete without assistance from the fence installer. Once the concrete has set, the fence installer may mount the various fence components to the fence post. However, this method limits the fence installer's ability to adjust the location of the posts, and the fence installer must use various methods to fit the fence components to existing post locations. Accordingly, there is a need for a foundation for receiving a fence post and a method of installing a fence post which enables the concrete contractor to pour the foundation independently of the fence installer's locating and fixing of the fence posts.